Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“You’re wrong,” I assured her.
“I’m not,” she replied flatly.
“You have to understand that he’s my partner and––”
“My husband has a partner,” she told me. “I know all about the importance of the person who has your back.”
“Then you get what I’m––”
“This ain’t that,” she said playfully.
“You’re––”
“I thought my brother hit the lottery, but now I’m not so sure.”
I stopped walking and looked at her. “He did. I promise you, there’s no better man than Bodhi Callahan.”
“Well, I will argue that point with you since my husband is marvelous most of the time. But seriously, I think what’s great for you might not be great for my brother.”
I shook my head. “You’re wrong.”
“We’ll see. The good news is, either way, I have your number.”
This was a surprise. “You’d still wanna be friends with me if—”
“Us has nothing to do with Bodhi and Hayden. Am I right?”
I nodded.
“Good. Let’s eat. You’re going to love this place.”
She was right, I loved it, since fried fish and clam chowder were two of my favorite things. I had Bodhi on one side, Angie on the other, and watching Stella in absolute heaven sitting between her parents, who were talking and laughing with her, made my day.
“You know,” said Josette, who was sitting across from me, “I love that ring of yours, Jed. It’s really beautiful.”
I looked at the octopus ring on the middle finger of my left hand. “Thanks, it’s actually Bodhi’s, but I stole it a long time ago.”
“It’s yours?” Angie asked, leaning forward so she could see around me to Bodhi.
“Yeah,” he said, smiling. “When he ran away from Vegas to Chicago—”
“I beg your pardon,” I grumbled. “Ran away?”
He scoffed. “Yeah. When you left me in Vegas to move to Chicago, I was really pissed, but then I realized that’s how you do things. You leap without looking.”
“I have never—”
“Did you have a place to live in Chicago?”
“I—no.”
He chuckled, patting my thigh. “Come on. Admit it, you ran. But it was a good thing for both of us, so I didn’t mind. Plus, when I got there and saw you were still wearing my ring, I thought, yeah, we’re gonna be okay.”
The kids were all eating, and Bodhi went back to dragging pieces of cod through cocktail sauce, but all the adults were staring at me.
“What?”
“You left Vegas and he followed you?” Josette asked.
“Yeah, but—”
“And you wear his ring?” Angie clarified.
“It’s not his. It’s mine now.”
“Of course it is,” Shae agreed, grinning at me. “Who wants another beer?”
I did. God. I needed, like, five.
EIGHT
We walked around downstairs afterward, looking at so much stuff, and I started collecting the crap you bring home for your annoying friends. I got Ian a lovely heavy beer stein for the freezer that had an etched design of an orca. Miro got a hoodie that said Papa Bear because he so was one. I got Wes a sweatshirt that said Official Search and Rescue, and Dorsey a huge bottle opener that he’d like because it was ridiculous. I’d have to be on the lookout for gifts for the others and was pleased that Bodhi was collecting items as well. Whenever anyone went on vacation, we all got various knickknacks and tchotchkes when they returned. It was just one of those things you did.
We stopped for oversize cookies to bring back to the house, got coffee and pastries, and while we were walking, I saw both men and women turn to look at my partner.
“That must always happen to him,” Angie said with a sigh.
“Yep. Always.”
“It’s because he looks like a movie star or a rock star,” Shae chimed in. “With all those pretty muscles too.”
“Giles has muscles,” Josette teased her.
She gasped dramatically. “Where? Where are they?”
They all laughed, and I felt kind of bad for poor Giles, who just turned around to look from where he was and smiled.
Later, we were in Target, getting some things the kids needed, small items forgotten at home. Shae was the first one out with Margo, joining me.
“You know, I always got a weird feeling from Luke, but I ignored it, thinking I was just being ridiculous.”
I looked at her. “Don’t ever do that. I can’t tell you how many people don’t listen to their gut.”
She nodded.
“Never second-guess yourself.”
“It’s funny, right? How many times I’ve thought, I shouldn’t get into this elevator alone with a stranger, but you think, that’s dumb.”
“But if your little voice says no, then listen.”
“I feel so dumb.”
“Who cares? Better to be safe—”
“Than sorry. Yes.”
I smiled at her. “Half of being in law enforcement is listening to the voice in your head. I can’t tell you how many detectives I know get a feeling about someone or something and follow it home.”
“Thanks, Jed. I’ll say no next time in any situation.”
“Good.”
“Can you take Margo? I forgot a brush.”
Margo was out like a light and much heavier for some illogical reason, but with my good arm, she was fine, and her head on my shoulder was sweet. I was having a peaceful moment, when a guy suddenly came up and asked me for money.